Redemption
by Daughter of Horus
Summary: Ukyo survives the last battle, but not without a serious change in priorities. In an effort to make amends for his ways, he abdicates and travels to Kanna, where Kirara must face her changing feelings towards him. Ukyo/Kirara. Rewrite of Second Chances.
1. Reflection

OK, some of you may remember Second Chances. This is not that. This is a reimagining of most of the same events, which may or may not have similar outcomes. It's the same premise, but hopefully with better characterization and, um, plot. If you read it and it still kinda sucks, please tell me.

&

The world was burning. He was burning. His chest ached, each shaky breath searing his lungs. The wind whipped past him, here on this crumbling ledge deep in the ravine. His hair, sodden and matted with blood, barely stirred. His back was in agony, stabbing pain lancing from the small of his back all the way down to his toes, but he gloried in it. At least he hadn't severed his spine. Pieces of metal larger than him fell out of the sky and missed him by inches. His eyes burned; he let them flutter shut. It didn't matter now if he died. Nothing mattered anymore now that she had rejected him.

_Oh, my darling, my lovely Kirara-kun…why didn't you save me? I thought you were going to save me. Tessai…where are you? Yun-chan, Esu-chan, Warya-san…I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. If I had known… _

His mind spiraled into unconsciousness. The stone began to creak; just before it would have given way and plunged him into the canyon below, a Benigumo caught him in one of its massive hands.

It, and the rapidly dying emperor, sped towards Kougakyo.

&

The chief of medical technology at Kougakyo's most prestigious hospital paced around the hospital bed that had been wheeled into what had once been Ukyo's bedroom. He paused to glare at the royal advisors huddled by the door. "Do you understand the extent of his injuries?"

One, braver than the rest, spoke up. "His Imperial Majesty must sign off on these new laws immediately, or—"

The doctor's eyes narrowed. "In addition to the lacerations on his face and the sword wound

across his chest—which, by the way, severed muscle and nearly destroyed his right shoulder—he has a fractured skull, a broken back—thank heavens it didn't sever his spinal cord—and severe smoke inhalation. His jaw is wired shut, and his left leg is broken in three separate places. He is under a medically induced coma right now for his own protection, and I have no intention of bringing him out of it. Your legislation will have to wait, gentlemen. At least until his skull has mended."

They filed out of the room with all the haughty grandeur of the affronted aristocrats they were. With a sigh, the doctor slumped into a chair and studied the patient by his side. _Poor kid. I mean, I know he's the Amanushi, but…he's just a kid. Younger than some of the interns I've seen._

Ukyo lay in the bed, all blue hair against white sheets and bandages. There was a gauze pad taped to his face just below his right eye, and bandages covered his chest. What skin was exposed was mostly mottled with bruises. Although he was lying on his back, the doctor knew that a full five inches of the man's spine had been joined by steel pins an hour before. The top of his head was also padded and bound. He was breathing shallowly; every so often, he would let out a little cough. He was hooked up to various machines and tubes; there was an IV in his left arm and a catheter that the doctor did not want to be present for the removal of.

A nurse—young and pretty and wearing a short skirt—came in bearing a clipboard. "How is he, doctor?"

"No change yet. I want someone checking up on him every hour on the hour. If there is any change, I will be informed immediately."

"Yes, sir." She turned and left.

He sat there for a while longer, studying the décor. It was large, airy and light, with pierced stonework instead of glass at the windows. Closets made of exotic woods presumably held clothes. Books and scrolls overfilled the bookcase and were stacked on the floor. There was a walk-in safe in one corner; he wondered what it contained for a moment, before deciding it was none of his business.

Eventually, he rose and left the room, leaving the Amanushi Ukyo alone.

&

_No. No. No no no no…_ Ukyo stared at the minister, who was bowed low before him and did not notice his look of shock. His voice, when he finally regained speech, was raspy and hoarse. "Dead." _For a month! A month I've been in a coma, and I didn't know._

The minister still possessed his smooth, cultured tone. He had no reason to be affected by the news he was giving. "My lord, you were the only survivor. I am…sorry."

He dropped his head and gazed at his hands without really seeing them. Tears coursed down his face and splashed onto his palms. _Tessai is dead. He stayed to protect me and he's dead! And Yun, and Esu, and Warya…and all the servants, the soldiers, everyone…dead because of me! Akemi, you…you thought I could be saved. I'm sorry. I can't._

"And…and my sister? What of Akemi Matsubayashi?"

The man at least had the grace to look abashed. "There has been…no word. That is, she has not sent word. Amanushi-sama, we could easily send a patrol to fetch her…"

"No." _If she's alive—and I saw her, she has to be!—she won't come here. How could she want to see me after this?_ "Let her live in Kanna-mura."

Another minister—Okumi or Ohkubo or something, Ukyo had never bothered to find out—shrugged. "The peasants will pay, my lord. It is only one small village; we can wipe them off the face of the earth within an hour."

"No!" His head snapped up, and the force of his own voice shocked him for a minute. His throat hurt, but he continued. "You will not."

"Amanushi-sama?" The one who had advanced the idea sounded uncertain now. "They have committed high treason against you and the State. They must be punished!"

He almost growled. "I am the Amanushi. I am his Imperial Majesty! Do you dare question my will?"

"But—"

Ukyo grabbed a bowl of fruit—the remains of his lunch, the first solid food he had been allowed since he had regained consciousness—off the bedside table and flung it at him. The man shrieked and jerked out of the way as an orange ricocheted off the wall. "Get out of my sight!"

Very sensibly, the two men nearly stampeded through the open door to the safety of the hallway. Ukyo barely registered their absence. All his attention was focused on the words pounding in his brain.

_Dead. They're dead. I led them to their deaths! And they…they trusted me! Tessai…you always followed me. Always protected me. Esumeruda, Warya…you might have been mostly in it for the money, but you didn't have to stay with me so long. Yun…you were so nice! You didn't…you could have gone home to Qin at any time. I would have paid for your passage. Instead you stayed…_

The rods in his back prevented him from curling up into a ball and sobbing, so he threw his head back and wailed.

&

"Did you hear him? Crying out like a trapped animal, the nurses say."

"I heard he talks in his sleep. Screams at night, sometimes."

"Have you seen him? The scars on his face? They're all red. He doesn't even notice!"

"I took dinner to him last night; I didn't see that! He looked really pale, though. Didn't even look at me, and let me tell you, he used to!"

"Well, with your skirt _that_ short—"

"He hasn't looked at anyone." This last was from a young maid with blue eyes and dark purple hair clipped short at the nape of her neck. "I took him his breakfast this morning, and yesterday, and the day before that. He just stared at the wall. Didn't say a word."

"Really? Oh, the poor man." This maid had an armload of cleaning supplies. "Well, we've got to clean his room anyway. Suzu, you do the sheets. I'll sweep up."

"Oh, _fine_."

Privately, all of the maids agreed that the Emperor's physical therapy sessions were a good thing; the sooner he got back on his feet for more than 5 minutes, the more of his things he could pick up himself. Not that there was much clutter anyway, but the less work they had to do, the better. Mai, the youngest and most cheerful of the three on cleaning duty today, started to sing as she picked up socks and underwear that had missed the laundry hamper. She stopped once Suzu made her help change the sheets.

She ran her hands over the fine linen. "They're messier than I thought. I heard he could barely move."

"Apparently he gets nightmares." Suzu didn't look up; her hands seemed to move of their own accord as she stripped the bed and took fresh sheets from Kotomi's unresisting hands.

Mai sighed and continued her work. Soon, the bed was made, the laundry had been sent down to the laundry room downstairs, and both wastepaper baskets were empty. Suzu and Kotomi picked up their supplies and left, but she lingered, running her fingers over the satiny wood of the bedside table.

_There is so much luxury here, so much finery and wealth…but he's so sad. I wish there was something I could do._ There was an empty vase on the table, made of fine cut glass. She pulled the orange dahlia from her hair and looked at it wistfully for a moment before dropping it into the vase. _Maybe it will cheer him up, just a little._

Ukyo entered the room soon after she left. By sheer force of will, he was actually walking. True, it involved a cane and a nurse at his elbow, but for today there was no wheelchair. He took a shaky breath at the door; his lungs still burned when deep breaths were involved. He was more tired than he had ever been in his life, but strangely exhilarated. _I did it! I finally managed to get all the way back here…_

He staggered over to the bed and collapsed on it, allowing his cane to clatter to the floor. The nurse looked on in alarm. "Your Majesty…!"

"I am fine. Leave me."

She melted away, leaving him alone. All too quickly, his adrenaline rush faded, and he let out a tiny whimper. Everything hurt. The scars on his face—two of them, tracing his right cheekbone—ached dully. His leg and shoulder throbbed, telling him it was going to rain soon. His back…

_Dear heavens, please. I don't deserve to live. Kill me now, or I'll do it myself_. He would, in fact, do that very deed if he was capable of moving his right arm, an act which was nearly impossible at the moment without causing further pain. He rolled over onto his side and stared out the window, watching as a cloud of sparrows took off from the nearest roof. _Why? Why am I alive and seeing this?_

Something bright flickered in the corner of his vision; with some difficulty, he raised his head. There, in the tiny crystal vase one of his concubines had bought for him, was a bright orange flower. _Huh? Who…? Probably one of the servants. One of the… _He felt his eyes fill with tears, and didn't bother blinking them away. _She must have been trying to be nice._

&

Ukyo stared blankly at the scroll in front of him. As soon as the doctors had deemed his head injury healed without permanent damage—save for splitting migraines that descended like lightning bolts at the most inopportune times, like when he was in the bath—his advisors had begun to hint delicately that he really should get back to work. He had taken their advice, but on his own terms. He sat upright in bed, writing tray and stack of paper in his lap. He had gotten all his actual work finished last night in lieu of sleep. The most important thing left was to write letters of condolence to the families of those his own pride and arrogance had killed.

Tessai's family—mother, sister, brother-in-law, and all his nieces and nephews—had been the first to receive their letter. It had been the hardest for Ukyo to write; Tessai had been with him as a bodyguard (and trainer, and friend) for years. The letter to Esu's brother had been written and sent off to the translator, while the one for Warya's mother had been taken to the post office. Now it was time for Yun's letter. His hand was shaking, making the brush tremble as he set it to the page.

"From the Most Illustrious Emperor who Divides the Heavens, Amanushi Ukyo, to Ambassador Li Bao Zhai and his wife Lin Ying Tai, greetings. I am writing this letter to extend to you my condolences…" He shuddered and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them and continuing. "My condolences on the death of your daughter, Li Yun. She was my companion for a number of years—" _Two. She was with me for two years._ "—And she brought me great pleasure, as well as…" _What can I say? How she always looked her most calm and sedate before tackling me into bed? How she was nervous around people because of her accent? How she… _"As well as great knowledge." _There!_ "In fact, if it were not for her I would not now be writing this letter to you, but would instead have to rely on translators. She…" He swallowed hard.

_She taught me to read and speak Qin. I remember…she never laughed at my accent. Or at my tones. She was so patient, so good…and she would never teach me how to say I cared for her. Ever. I wish I'd been able to say it, now…_ He began to cry. Dimly, he knew he must look like an idiot, but it didn't matter.

"Amanushi-sama? It's your breakfast."

He wiped his eyes on his sleeve and glanced at the door. It was only nine in the morning and his back hurt already; he decided not to risk the walk. Instead, he hit the button on the control panel by his bed that unlocked the door. "Come in."

A pretty young maid walked in, skillfully carrying a metal tray with a bowl of fruit, a few pieces of toast, and a jar of coffee. She set it on the table with a slight bow. "I hope you enjoy it."

He looked at her, actually seeing her for the first time. It was the same young woman who had brought him his breakfasts for the past three days. With her long brown hair, she was not dissimilar to Kirara. _Kirara-kun…_ He made a small noise of pure grief and discomfort. _I thought you had come to save me! I thought…I wanted so badly just to see you again, just to make sure you were alright. I would have taken you away from all your toil and danger, but you wanted to stay…and I almost killed you! You and everyone you love…_

The maid looked at him nervously. "Amanushi-sama…"

His hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. "You…you brought me breakfast yesterday. There was a flower in your hair. Is this it?" He indicated the one in the vase with a jerk of his head.

Eyes wide, she nodded. "I'm sorry! I thought—you've been through so much—I thought it might cheer you up—"

He released her wrist. "Thank you."

"I never meant to offend—what?"

He met her gaze. Her eyes were nothing like Kirara's. "Thank you. What's your name?"

She turned red and bowed until she was bent almost double. "Mai Kuroshima. It was my pleasure, Your Majesty."

As she walked out, he took a bite of his apple and began to write again. His hand did not shake so badly now.

&

The rest of the week passed in a blur. Ukyo's thoughts returned to Kirara constantly. Kirara, and Kanna-mura. It had looked so beautiful…so bright and clean. Although the doctors still told him his lungs were too weak to venture into the lower city and his leg and shoulder still ached when it rained, he yearned for a good, long walk. He wanted to feel the sun on his face and a strong breeze in his hair.

He most certainly did _not_ want to be asked to sign new laws that he did not agree with. Whereas before his injuries he would have loved the debates and the decisions, now they only left him with a sort of desperate boredom, the memories of which returned as he lay in bed at night. _I don't want to be here. I want to…_

_What do I want?_ He was glad, suddenly, that he had not yet taken the painkillers the doctor had given him for his back; they made him slow and drowsy, and he wanted to think through this. He sat up in bed and looked at his bedroom; as the highest building in Kougakyo, it was lit only by moonlight. _This place is beautiful._ He swung his legs over the side of the bed, hauled himself to his feet, and crossed the room to the window, looking out over the city. _This is my city, and it is beautiful. So why do I want to leave?_

He knew the answer before it was even a conscious thought. _Kirara. I want her. Since I certainly can't take her by force…if I want her then I'll have to go to her. I will have to earn her heart. I can't do that from here, from this height. I can't do that as the emperor._

His eyes widened, and he grabbed the windowsill. _No._ His mind, stubborn, continued on. _I'd have to give up everything I…what? Worked for? I didn't work for it, not honestly. I stole it. I don't deserve it. I don't even want it anymore. I shouldn't be the Amanushi anymore. There. _He let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. _Alright, now. Now what exactly should I do? Abdicate, first of all. Even if I didn't want Kirara-kun I'm not sure I can handle one more meeting without screaming. Then…who should replace me? Who's closest? No more clones are left, at least that I remember…_ He shivered, although the night was warm. Those letters had been horrible to write. Akio, Sakyo, Kiyoshi, Kyokuu…all the names had blended together in his head.

"Oh!" _I know! My cousin, Michiyuki. He's the lord of Hamamatsu, to the west. A good, steady man. And he has three children, so no succession problems there. I'll announce him as my successor, and recommend he move the capital to his city. I'm not sure Kougakyo's infrastructure can handle any more people. Yes…he'll be a good administrator. Not quite so good as me, but what can you do? I must remember to leave notes for him._

_Right. So._ He began to pace, running his fingers through the thick blue hair that now only reached the middle of his back. _Destroy important documents—won't do to have anyone else knowing about that cloning project,_ _abdicate, name Michiyuki the new emperor—that'll be interesting, I wouldn't be surprised if it gave the Minister of Agriculture a heart attack—make sure the new magistrate of Kougakyo knows what's going on, and then…then disappear. I'll go see Akemi!_ He felt a pang of guilt as he thought of his younger sister. Although he knew that news of his injuries and recovery had to be kept secret for morale purposes, he wished he could have at least gotten word to her. _But then she would have wanted to come here, and I'm not sure they'd let her leave…and she'd probably want to kill me too. That's probably why she was on that transport ship with Kirara-kun instead of trying to stop those damned samurai. But…I still want to see her. And she is in Kanna-mura. With…with Kirara-kun. I'll see her, too. And tell her…tell her…_

_I'm sorry._ He sighed. _I'll tell her I'm sorry. And maybe I can make amends._

&

The news of the emperor's abdication spread like wildfire throughout Gunma Prefecture and beyond. It reached Kanna-mura with the next turtle express rider.

It had been five months since Ukyo's failed attack, and the village was growing anew.

Komachi couldn't keep a smile off her face as she sang the rice-planting song. Her sister caught her eye and smiled back.

Akemi, barefoot and ankle-deep in mud, tried not to wince as she straightened up. Desperate for something to distract her, she had decided to assist the villagers in their planting and was now regretting it. Her back _hurt_, and her legs were stiff and cold. _Not as cold as oniichan, though._ Heedless of the mud on her hands, she wiped her eyes on the sleeve of the short white kimono she had been wearing since the attack.

Shino placed a hand on her shoulder. "Akemi-san? You've been a big help so far. Why don't you go relax? I'll do the rest of the row."

Akemi blinked up at her. "Really? Thanks, but—"

"Go. I'll finish up."

The black-haired girl smiled. "Okay."

Akemi left the field and began to walk to the cliff. She was still barefoot, and the mud began to dry and fall off with each step. She barely noticed. _Oniichan…_ She had made two small grave markers, shrines, at the top of the cliff. Although Tessai's sword had been sent back to be buried with him, she had stabbed a tanto he had given her into the dirt instead and scratched his name on a stone with her bayonet. The other…

_Oh, oniichan. Ukyo!_ She had stood there for hours, hands shaking, as she fired shells into the ground to spell his name in katakana. They were rusted, but still present. She dropped to her knees and ran her hands over them. _I miss you._ "Hey…hey, niichan? I've just been planting rice. The village is beautiful. I wish you could…" She choked, coughed, and continued. "I learned how to cook. I've been bringing you rice every day…I hope you like it! Kirara-kun taught me. She's so good at things like that."

The sound of the turtle express approaching reached her ears. She stood up and walked down to the village. _Maybe there's news from Kougakyo._

This turtle express rider, Sachie, had been running the Kougakyo-Kanna route for three years. So when she stopped in the middle of the village square and cleared her throat, it wasn't long before the villagers gathered around her. Akemi reached her just as she pulled out a scroll and unrolled it to read out loud. "'Breaking news from Kougakyo! This just in from the Imperial Office of Information, Emperor Ukyo has…abdicated!'...wait, what? I thought he was dead!" She coughed and cleared her throat sheepishly. "Right, continuing. 'The Emperor announced his abdication on the second day of the fourth month and named Michiyuki Kajiwara, lord of Hamamatsu, as the next emperor. The former emperor's plans for the future are unknown at this time.' Oh, and also there's a letter here for Kirara-san from…Shichiroji and Yukino Hasegawa."

Akemi felt as though she was watching the scene from very far away as the villagers began to mutter among themselves. She saw Rikichi put an arm around his wife's shoulders, and Manzo speaking angrily to his friend Kojiro. Her blood pounded in her ears, and she felt tears begin to well up. _My brother is alive! Alive! He survived the fall! Ha, you stupid Shimada-san, you smiled when you told me he was dead! Well, you were wrong, weren't you? _She grinned and did a little dance. _Oniichan, you're alive!_

She ran home. Although she had at first been awkward and nervous about living in the house Kirara shared with her grandmother and Komachi, it had become her home as well. As always, she wiped her feet at the door. Her things were in the bag she had packed when she first left Kougakyo. She flung off her white kimono and sarashi with abandon and pulled on a modern bra and her crimson kimono top. She fingered the silk with a huge smile. _Oh, I thought I'd never want to wear this again! And pants! I missed pants! _They were tight denim that had been repaired numerous times, but she hugged them before yanking them on. Finally, she picked up a red brocade headband and put it on. _Hey, sensei. I'm wearing your gift again._

She left her thigh holsters and pistols in the bag. There was no point to putting them on now. Still smiling, she folded her kimono and picked up a hand mirror. Her shaggy bangs only partially hid the burn scar on her right temple, a wound incurred in the first battle for Kanna. _Yep, looks pretty good. Oniichan, I wish you could see me now!_

Kirara stood in the crowd, eyes wide with shock and remembered terror. _He's still alive? But Kikuchiyo-dono knocked him off the transport! We saw him! He…he reached out to me…and he died. I thought he was dead! And now he's alive and he's abdicated? What could he be planning? _

The rest of the villagers returned to their planting, murmuring to each other. Their expressions were various degrees of nervous and worried. Kirara walked home, holding her letter. She had no desire to sing. _Let Komachi do it. Or Shino. Not me, not now._

Akemi was still smiling and buckling her sandals at the door when the water priestess came in. The smile dimmed when she saw Kirara's face. "Kirara-chan?"

Kirara flinched. "Don't call me that." _You wanted to save him! You thought he could be stopped peacefully! Well, he's still alive. Kikuchiyo-dono and Heihachi-dono and Kyuuzo-dono all gave their lives for nothing! Are you happy now?_

Akemi shivered at the look of anger in her eyes. "What's the matter?"

She ignored her and knelt at her parents' shrine. _Mother, father, spirits of my ancestors, kami of rice and water and sky…great Inari-sama, please. I know I am only a former mikumari, but please hear my plea. Do not let Ukyo come here, do not let him attack us again. Please._

&

Ukyo pulled open his closet door and winced at the gaudy clothes in it. _I can't believe I used to want to wear such things. Although they do look good on me… _His clothing choices since his injury had been motivated more by comfort and ease of wear than by fashion. He spared a thought for his old clothes, the white shirt and purple pants that had been disposed of to treat his wounds. _Akemi would be happy. She hated that outfit. Now, what to wear…_

Most of his clothing fit his former station as the next magistrate of Kougakyo. As such, it was designed to attract attention, to keep all eyes on him. He gazed at a red jacket with regret before digging deeper. Surely there had to be something he could wear that wouldn't stand out so much. _I'm not a rich merchant anymore. As of yesterday, I am just a normal man. I must have some normal clothes!_

Making the announcement had filled him with terror, but as he spoke, it had been replaced with a sense of calm, of certainty that he was doing the right thing. That sense of calm certainty seemed to have deserted him now as he, clad only in his socks and underwear, dug through his clothes for a sturdy pair of pants. _I know there's something. When I was at Nakuryuu I wore plainer clothes. They must still be in here somewhere…found it!_ He pulled out a pair of loose black pants, made of sturdy denim. _And they fit! Mostly. I think I've gained weight since then._

As he started to hunt for a shirt, he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror mounted on the inside of the door. He had avoided mirrors since his injuries, almost fearing to look upon his own face, but now he stared at it. _I look so different. _His face would remain free of makeup now that he was no longer the Amanushi, and the scars on his face caught the light when he moved. The wound Kanbei had given him had left a large, raised scar slashing down diagonally from his right shoulder, which still gave him trouble when he tried to raise that arm above his head. He knew that if he turned around, he would see a five-inch scar down his spine which had only gotten larger once the rods had been removed. _I'm glad the doctors cleared me for physical activity. If I had to wait any longer… _He had, in fact, gained a little weight, but it was almost entirely muscle.

He shook his head and pulled out a gray shirt, cut in the same manner of those he had seen peasants wearing. _OK, this works with these pants and that jacket. Let's get these boots on, and have I got a decent spare outfit or two in here? Yes, I do. That can go in the bag then._

Two duffel bags had been thrown on the bed. The smaller one, fully packed, contained things he thought the people of Kanna might want; money, bolts of silk and cotton and colored threads, and snack food. It also held some of Akemi's things; bullets, clothes, and books he recalled her liking. The other was only partially filled. In it, Ukyo was throwing all the supplies he thought he'd need for a new life. He began to run through the checklist in his head again as he packed. _Money, painkillers, raincoat, GPS, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, soap, nonperishable food, spare clothes—do I have enough socks_? He moved to the bookcase. _Hiroshi Sakuguchi's Guide to Wilderness Survival__. It's a week's journey to Kanna; I'm taking that. What else…hmm, book of war strategies, trashy romance novel Asuka-chan left here—better take something to read when I'm bored; detailed atlas…There's something I'm missing._

Ukyo hesitantly made his way over to the walk-in safe looming in one corner of the room and keyed in the access code. The door swung open to reveal a veritable treasure trove of guns and other weaponry. _I hope I don't have to actually use any of these._ He swung a rifle into place at his shoulder and smiled at how easy the movement felt. _This one!_ It was a beautiful gun, blued with a highly adjustable stock covered in steel engraving. There was a tag hanging from the trigger guard; when he read it, he almost dropped the gun in surprise. _Benzaiten! This is from when I won the Kanritsu two years back. Oh, Benten-sama, I'm definitely taking this._ He grabbed several boxes of ammunition for it and put it in a case to shove it into the bag. _Now for a backup weapon._

Although his sister preferred dual-wielding pistols, he found it awkward and tricky. Instead, he reached for a small, compact handgun. The name, according to its tag, was Insei, with the kanji for "meteor." He thought it suited well. As an afterthought, he buckled on a short blade, grinning. This sword—more of a long knife, really—had fallen into his possession through a masterful use of legal loopholes. It was double-edged in the Qin style and a centimeter short of being legally called a "katana." Therefore, it was perfectly legal for him to wear it in public.

His bags were packed, and he was fully dressed. Now, all he had to do was actually leave. Before he could lose his nerve, he hefted his bags onto his shoulder and left the room, locking the door behind him. _Time to go to Kanna-mura. Kirara-kun, my darling, here I come._

&

Author's Notes

--Yun was the black-haired concubine with the spiffy hat. Esmeralda (Esu, Esumeruda) was the blonde with the buns in her hair, and Warya was the pink-haired one. Yun is the only one who never spoke in the series, and thus I am painting her as the least bitchy one.

--Qin is a large country to the west of the one in which the series takes place. If this country is Japan, Qin is China. Ukyo's "Qin-style" sword is a jian—a straight, double-edged blade.

--Akemi is Ayamaro's biological daughter. She fought alongside the samurai during the first battle of Kanna, but her presence failed to change anything—which is why I haven't labeled this story AU. The night before the second battle, she was purposely left behind by the samurai because they didn't trust her not to help her (adopted) brother. Since then, she's lived in Kanna as a "guest." Her relationship with the surviving samurai is nonexistent, since she's avoided all contact with them. (Not that it was much better before, when she was a gun-wielding merchant and Kirara's self-appointed "bodyguard.") She's been wearing white since the attack in mourning for the samurai, her brother, and Tessai.

--The "Kanritsu" Ukyo mentions is a shooting tournament we'll see more of later.

Next Chapter

Ukyo makes himself useful. Kirara tries to get on with her life. Akemi struggles.


	2. Passion

His journey out of the city was remarkably uneventful. Not for the first time, Ukyo gave thanks for his short reign. While his voice had been broadcast on the radio, he had only ever made two speeches. His public appearances had been more frequent, but he had been wearing heavy makeup and longer hair in all of them. In addition, his eyebrows and bangs had grown out during his convalescence; combined with the scars, it made a picture that looked nothing like he had earlier. Therefore, the amount of people that actually recognized him on sight was rather small. Despite the advice of his ministers, he traveled alone and on foot, with no bodyguards. If he was going to win over Kirara, he wasn't going to do it while being followed by trained killers.

Before leaving Kougakyo, he stopped in a small gun store for shooting glasses, a repair kit and a recoil pad, the kind that he could strap on over his shirt. He dimly recalled Benzaiten having a kick like a mule, and his shoulder was bad enough without being jarred by constant recoil. The owner was an old man with bushy eyebrows who did not seem to recognize him. Neither did the ticket seller on the repaired inter-city train, or the other people who shared the car with him. He bought a box of questionable sushi for lunch and a few bottles of water for later.

The line stopped at the outskirts of the city, and Ukyo stepped into the sunlight blinking. _Ouch, so bright! Where do I go from here?_ He sat down on a rock and pulled out the atlas, flipping to southern Gunma Prefecture. _Let's see…oh, it's not as far as I thought. Kougakyo is here, and Kanna is here…but that's a three-day journey through the desert and mountains. But if I go through this little place…Kurume-mura? I've been there before. It's a day's walk away, I think. From there to Ishii-mura is another three days, and then I'll just need to make it over the mountains and I'll be a few hours away from Kanna. It's longer, but I won't have to go through the desert. Right, let's get going._

He took out his GPS, shifted his bags to his good shoulder, and started walking. After an hour, his feet started to hurt, but he ignored it. After two more hours, he sat down on a convenient log to catch his breath and took a few painkillers for his back, which had begun to send stabbing pains up and down his spine. When he felt as though he could move again, he got up and kept walking. Although he followed the road, he did not run into a single person. _Must be a slow travel day._

Ukyo knew he was getting close to Kurume when he passed a burned-out Tobito on the road. It was soon joined by a pair of Yakan, both riddled with arrows. He sighed. _I knew I'd sent samurai to Kurume before. I hope the messengers I sent with their pay actually got there; I'd hate to find out they haven't been compensated for their work. _The sun was low on the horizon, so he walked faster, ignoring the nagging pain in his leg and trying not to focus on the way his chest had begun to hurt. _Just a little bit longer. I can see the houses already._

Kurume was a small village, and he was walking through its surrounding rice fields for a good hour before actually entering it. When he finally passed the gates, the sun was setting. There were five men standing in the village square, talking drunkenly amongst themselves. All of them wore swords, and Ukyo stopped to study them closer. _I think I remember these men. These are the samurai I sent here._

While he leaned against the gatepost, unsure if he should come any closer, the largest of the men turned around and saw him. "You! I mean…Amanushi-sama!"

_Damn it._ "Ah…good afternoon, gentlemen. May I help you with something?" He set his bags down, affixing a polite smile to his face.

The men shot awkward glances at each other until one, the oldest of them all, came forward and prostrated himself before Ukyo. "Amanushi-sama, we have done as you asked and helped these peasants drive away the Nobuseri. However, we have not yet been paid as you promised."

_Oh, dear. That's not good._ He tried to think who he had delegated to pay the samurai he had dispatched, and came up with nothing. _Damn it! I knew that guy! I spoke to him every day! Why can't I remember his name?_

"Ah….um. Well, if you go to the magistrate's palace in Kougakyo I'm sure someone will pay you. They might even throw in a little extra if you remind them of how long you've been waiting." _They shouldn't even be asking! They were jobless samurai, and I gave them work! Really, how ungrateful._

At the samurai's shout, some of the peasants had begun to creep out of their houses. Soon, it looked to Ukyo as if almost the whole village had gathered outside and was listening intently. One scruffy-haired young man spoke up nervously. "O-samurai-sama…maybe you should leave quickly. If you wait any longer, they might not pay you…"

A samurai with bright red hair marched up to him and shook his fist in his face. "Are you _tired_ of us or something? After all we did for you, you want to _get rid_ of us? You ungrateful little pissants!"

"Ungrateful? Us? You nearly ate us out of house and home!" Ukyo cast a curious glance at the woman who had just spoken. She had long, beautiful black hair and a wrap top that showed a great deal of cleavage, so he cast a few more glances. She was wearing an exceptionally tight skirt; briefly, he wondered how she could walk in it.

She continued. "You tore down our houses to build fortifications; you ordered us around like pack animals! We did _everything_ for you, gave you every comfort and luxury we could, and did you ever thank us? Did you ever show regard for us? No! You just—"

The redheaded samurai slapped her, knocking her to the ground. Ukyo started forward—_how dare he!—_but a burly man got to the samurai first with a punch that lifted him clear off his feet. The old samurai who had prostrated himself jumped to his feet and drew his sword; several of the villagers drew various weapons as well.

_I can't stand by and let this turn into a bloodbath!_ Ukyo opened his mouth, but no sound escaped. As a little boy near him started to whimper in fear, he found his voice. "Stop!"

His voice rang out clearly over the village square, but a purple-haired samurai barely seemed to notice. "All our work was for nothing if we aren't paid! If _you_ don't pay us, we'll just take it out of their hides!" So saying, he swung his katana at the scruffy-haired man.

It never connected.

The samurai stared at Ukyo in uncomprehending shock. Ukyo met his gaze with a cold glare, although inwardly he was terrified. As the samurai had moved, he had drawn his sword and stepped between them; the reverberations from the clash of steel had startled him so badly he had almost dropped the sword._ I've never…I mean, I've done this maneuver before, but not in combat! I can't believe I did it! Can't believe the sword didn't break, either… _"I think I told you to stop."

"So?" The man snorted derisively. "I listen to the news. You've _abdicated_. You're not the Amanushi anymore; you're no better than one of us! We have no reason to listen to you!"

This caused a wave of anxious muttering to wash backwards through the crowd. Several people edged away from Ukyo; one old woman dropped to her knees. Ukyo gritted his teeth. "I—"

A woman cried out. As he cast a frantic glance at the source of the sound, the samurai took advantage of his distraction to attack again; this time, aiming at him. Before Ukyo could do much more than squeeze his eyes shut in terror, a young boy shoved the man's legs, knocking him off balance and enabling Ukyo to sidestep a blow that would have taken his head off.

This was the unspoken signal for all the samurai to attack. Ukyo was aware of screams and grunts of pain, but he had no focus to spare for anything other than the purple-haired man swinging a nodachi at his head. _Dammit! Parry, parry, sidestep…thank you sensei for making all of us carry backup weapons even though dear kami that was a close one…_ There was a crash; out of the corner of his eye, he saw a middle-aged woman break a pot over the old samurai's head, knocking him unconscious. The one he was fighting took advantage of this to slice open his arm, making him yelp.

The sword wavered in his hand, and he just barely managed to block the next swing. _I can't keep this up for much longer…_ "Aren't you blowing this way out of proportion? Really? You'll still get paid, I swear!"

"You lie! Merchants always lie!" He pulled his sword back, but the blow was knocked off course by a well-flung rock. The man spun around to see the little boy who had been whimpering earlier pick up another rock, and started toward him with a snarl.

_What?! Okay, no more nice guy._ He drew Insei from its holster and leveled it at the samurai's head. "Put…the…sword…down."

The man hesitated.

_Even in the face of a bullet…samurai are so arrogant!_ "I said drop it!"

He dropped it. Ukyo spared a look around. The other four samurai had been knocked out or subdued. One was bleeding so profusely from a chest wound that Ukyo decided someone had gotten in a lucky blow. The villagers were nursing various injuries; he saw not a few bandaging deep sword cuts. Still, he asked anyway. "Is everyone alright?"

The busty woman who had been knocked down began to get to her feet, blushing. "As well as can be expected…Amanushi-sama."

He made a face and held out a hand to help her up. "Please. Call me Ukyo."

She smiled at him, sending an unexpected but entirely familiar jolt of heat to the pit of his stomach. "Amanushi-sama. Thank you."

"Are you alright, miss?" _She has such lovely green eyes…_

"Yes, sir."

The burly man lumbered over to them. Close up, Ukyo could see a certain similarity in facial structure. "Ukyo-sama, thank you for helping us. We can return to our lives now. May we aid you in any way?"

He bowed. "No need to thank me. In fact, I should apologize to you for sending such…people…to your aid. But…there is one way you can aid me." He paused, watching the villagers. They still looked nervous and suspicious; he wondered if he should try a polite smile, but decided against it. "Might I stay here tonight? It is growing late, and I have a long journey tomorrow."

He didn't miss how relieved the people of Kurume looked.

&

The samurai were unceremoniously kicked out of town, and Ukyo's arm was healed by Kurume's mikumari before he was ushered into the village leader's house for a hastily prepared but delicious feast. The pretty girl in the tight skirt had introduced herself as Suzuri, and the burly man turned out to be her father. Both of them were inclined to look favorably on Ukyo.

Very favorably, in Suzuri's case. As they ate, she sat close enough to him to brush her hips against his leg and smiled up at him, revealing dazzlingly white but slightly crooked teeth. "Amanushi-sama, I really have to thank you again. Those samurai… She trailed off, looking suddenly sad.

_On one hand, I left to go to Kirara-kun. On the other…_ Suzuri's fingertips rested lightly on his thigh. _Kirara-kun isn't here._ A smile came easily to his face now. "It must have been hard for all of you, playing host to those boorish thugs. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

She sighed prettily and leaned across him to pass a rice bowl to an elderly woman. He swallowed hard; much to his embarrassment, he felt himself blushing as she straightened up and looked at him, wide-eyed. "Oh, it was terrible! They were so rude, and they made my little brothers cry. But then you came…"

"It's alright. They're gone now, right? So you'll be fine."

Suzuri smirked and ran her fingers up his leg. "You're here, so I'm fine _now_."

"Oh, really?" He put an arm around her waist, smiling. _Mmm, she's warm and soft and she smells wonderful. It's been a while…_

"Well, it does linger a bit. In fact…" She looked so embarrassed for a moment that Ukyo almost removed his arm before realizing she was faking it, as proved by her sudden, quick smile. "I think I'll go outside for some fresh air."

He only hesitated a moment before rising. "Allow me to join you."

She was on him, her mouth on his, nearly as soon as they got out into the cool night air. There was a nagging, persistent thought trying to make its way through his brain, but it was driven out each time their lips met. She reached up to cup his cheek as they kissed, tracing his scars with her fingers. "These must have been so painful, Amanushi-sama…"

He shivered and tried not to pull away. _Her hands are so cold!_ "I told you, call me Ukyo."

"But…you are the Amanushi. Even if you've left the throne, you are still the emperor."

_She's right. She's right! Even if I leave, I…no._ He felt the heat of his previous ardor turn to ice; his very blood seemed to run cold. The thought that had been trying to make itself felt finally burst through his lust-induced haze. _Kirara-kun…she wouldn't want the Amanushi._ He took a step backward, gently disentangling himself from her arms. "I'm sorry. I really am not the Emperor anymore. I think…I think we should go back inside."

She looked as though she'd been slapped, but seemed to recover quickly. "Yes. I…apologize…for my forwardness."

&

Ukyo spent the rest of the night deep in thought. He ate mechanically, barely tasting his food or replying to the villagers' questions; all his thoughts were directed inward. _Why did I do that? I mean, she's practically begging…and I turn her down? Why?_ A girl sitting across from him gave him a wary look, and he sighed. _Kirara-kun. That's why. I've been thinking of her all this time…I still want her, and only her. Even if she never wants me, if I can just see her again, I'll be happy._

"Amanushi-sama, um…will you please pass this unworthy one the fish?"

_His voice sounds familiar._ Ukyo actually bothered to look at the man who had requested the fish and nearly dropped it in shock. _He has my face. Another clone? But how? I thought they were all killed…_ And yet it was unmistakably the same face, although the man wearing it was pudgier with much shorter, messier hair. He opened his mouth as a thousand questions exploded into his brain, but then closed it again. _I won't ruin this one's life._ "Here."

Soon, he heard the woman on his left call the man "Kyoichi," and nodded, his suspicions confirmed. It _could be the kanji for 'big,' but I'd bet my last coin it's 'capital.' And he doesn't even notice! Then again, why would he even think about it? He was too afraid to look me in the face._

For the night, he was given a futon in the house of the village leader, Ishiki. It was in a small room supposedly reserved for guests; Ukyo had the feeling it was actually a part-time granary or storage room, judging by the ripped tatami and discolored old futon that had been laid out for him. He flopped down on it anyway, trying and failing to make himself comfortable. His back, shoulder, and leg were all in various degrees of pain, with his back unquestionably being the worst. Groping around in the pitch-black room, he found the painkillers he had stashed in his bag. He didn't especially want to risk spilling one of his water bottles, so he counted out a few pills and choked them down dry. It was probably more than he was supposed to take at once, but he didn't care.

After he had taken them, he lay awake, staring at the ceiling. _It's going to rain soon. Wonderful. _The sheets seemed to shed heat rather than trap it, and he shivered. _I…I'm really all alone now. On nights like this in Kougakyo, I would ask one of the ladies to share my bed, but…there's no one else left._ He sifted through his memories, trying to recall the last time he had slept alone; he promptly discarded the last five months. _That doesn't count. Let me think…hmm, even in the Capital I always had someone. And if I didn't, at least my bodyguards—at least Tessai was in the next room. Someone could always hear me if I needed them. And I could go over the budgets or practice the shakuhachi or play solitaire or something to help me get to sleep. Should have brought my deck of cards._

He was, truthfully, exhausted. In one day, he had walked farther than he ever had in years; he suspected that his physical therapist would have had a fit if he knew. And yet, he didn't really want to go to sleep. His dreams had been plagued with even more nightmares than usual lately. _…I wonder if they make medication for that._ He rolled over with a sigh, shifted his hair out of his face, and waited for the painkillers to kick in. Eventually, they did, and he drifted into an unsettled sleep.

The next morning saw him eating a bowl of rice and half a granola bar before setting out again. At the gate, Ishiki stopped him. "Amanushi-sama, please…consider taking our village's fast turtle for your journey."

Ukyo looked at the beast in question nervously. It made a _quark_ noise and scratched the ground, staring back at him with large green eyes and an expression that made him wonder if they were really herbivores. "Thank you, but I could not possibly deprive Kurume-mura of such a useful animal. I will continue on foot." _Besides, I've never ridden one and I wouldn't be surprised if it's hell on my back._

The villagers bowed before him. He returned the gesture, a little stiffly due to his medication wearing off, and started walking.

&

The small, rarely-heard voice of common sense in Akemi's head warned her that walking along the path whistling probably wasn't a good idea, but she didn't really care. She had been given leave from the day's planting, and she finally had time to herself. _My oniichan is alive! He's not dead or the Amanushi anymore!_ She smiled to herself and spun around as she walked, ending the move with a joyful giggle. _He's alive! And obviously not that badly hurt if he's abdicated…wonder what he's gonna do now? What do ex-emperors usually do with their lives?_

She began walking slower, her exuberance faded as she thought. _I think I remember learning this from my tutor. They mostly spend the rest of their lives in monasteries. There's one or two that were actually founded by some ruler or other…ha, can't picture my brother becoming a monk! Besides the whole celibacy and poverty stuff, he'd have to shave his head, wouldn't he?_ She snickered, envisioning a bald Ukyo. _I'd be, like, required by law to mock him shamelessly. But…no. Would he stay in Kougakyo? I read in the paper that that's where he was recovering. 'Massive engine failure.' Well, considering…oh, Tessai-san. _Rage flared in her heart for a brief moment, before she sighed and shook her head. _Him and Kyuuzo-san are both dead now; getting pissed off at it doesn't help. But oh, that thrice-damned Shimada…_

She was walking through the bamboo groves; the little light that made it through the canopy was dim and green, only illuminating her path for a few feet before everything faded. The shadows cast by the bamboo were so numerous that it took her a few seconds to notice that some of the shadows were moving. She froze, hands reflexively groping at her thighs for guns she wasn't wearing. "Who's there?"

Dimly, she heard children laughing and relaxed. It was only the young boys from the village, as proven when a group of about five ran onto the path in front of her. She grinned at them. "Morning, kids!"

Yohei was the de facto ringleader of the group and, at fourteen, the oldest. He glared up at her belligerently. "What are you sayin' good mornin' for? That no-good, stinkin' Amanushi is still alive, and you're sayin' good mornin'?"

_That's right. I'm the only one who's happy about this_. "He's my brother. You know that." _Shimada made sure the whole village knew, after that day…_ "Of course I'm happy he's alive."

"You traitor! The samurai-sama died to protect Kanna from him, and you're happy!"

A much younger boy grabbed up a rock and threw it at her. Stunned, she couldn't even move as it clipped her forehead; from the sting, she guessed it had drawn blood. Tears pricked her eyes. _I fought too! Don't I have the scar to show? I fought to save these kids, and they…!_

She turned and ran. The children did not follow.

&

Kirara was chopping vegetables for soup. It was mindless, meditative work for her; save for her own breathing, there were no sounds save for the steady _shlunk_ of her knife and her grandmother snoring lightly in the next room. _I hope it rains. The rice could use some. Speaking of water, when Komachi comes back in I should make her practice with the crystal. She still hasn't figured out how to detect lies; I was doing that when I first learned. But…my goodness, it really has been five months. Five months since…since I gave it up. Since I couldn't_… She laid the knife down and went to the window, looking out to the hill where the banner of the seven still flew. _There is blood on my hands now._

Akemi nearly burst into the room, sliding the door shut with such force that Kirara feared for the screens. A sharp word was on the tip of her tongue before she heard a tiny hiccupping sound that she recognized all too well. It was the sound of the normally fearless gunslinger trying very hard not to cry. "Akemi-san…?" She looked at her and gasped at the scrape that was trickling blood down her face. "You're bleeding! What happened?

She put a hand to her forehead and felt the warm wetness there. _Ouch_. "Oh…you're right. Sorry."

"No, don't apologize." Kirara came forward with a damp rag to wipe away some of the blood. "Tell me what happened. Did you fall or…" _No. I've seen her almost dance in battle, and that was with her swinging around those pistols with Nobuseri attacking left and right. She wouldn't fall. Did someone hit her? But who would do such a thing? She might not be very popular, but…_

The taller girl sighed and looked away, turning red. "Ah…it's kind of embarrassing. One of the kids—Akihiko threw a rock at me."

"What? _Why_?"

"I was taking a walk, and I ran into some of the kids. I wished them good morning, and they got all upset—asked me why I was saying that when Ukyo is still alive. He's my brother! So I told them that, and Akkun called me a traitor and threw a rock at my head. Kid's got pretty good aim."

Kirara's first reaction was a flare of rage. _How dare they? She fought just as well as the samurai, and it's not as though she asked Ukyo to attack! But if she hadn't been left behind, would she have…? No._ She sighed. "Let's clean that up."

Akemi held still as Kirara continued to dab at the scrape. It stung painfully, making her flinch each time the cloth was applied. Finally, she asked, "Didn't Komachi leave the water crystal here? Can't you just…heal it?"

Kirara nearly dropped the cloth. "Akemi-san, you know I can't…"

"But it's right there! Please, can you try? Only it really stings, and even if it doesn't work very well at least it might make it stop bleeding."

Kirara picked up the crystal and studied it at arm's length. _I am no longer pure enough to use this to its full potential. But for small things…might it work? Maybe I should find out._ The wound was already wet, so she took a deep breath and let the crystal swing from her hand, feeling warmth bubble up from inside her, through her arm, and out through the stone. "Water, I beseech thee. Let thy life-giving power heal this wound." She squeezed her eyes shut, afraid to look in case it failed.

Akemi shuddered as the force of what she recognized as Kirara's ki touched her, replacing the aching, burning pain with numbness and a flood of heat. Her skin was still wet when Kirara took the crystal away, so she hesitantly swiped her fingers across it and looked at them. There was no blood; the dampness was only water. "Kirara-chan?" The girl still had her eyes shut, so she reached out and touched her hand lightly. "…It worked. You did it!"

"I…" Kirara opened her eyes. The wound was closed completely, leaving only a thin scar. "I did." _But I'm not supposed to be able to do that anymore! I gave it up! If I can use it…does that mean I'm pure again? That I'm no longer tainted?_

"See, I knew you could! Kirara-chan, you kept saying you weren't pure enough. But it looks like this,"—she tapped the crystal lightly with a fingernail, making a _ting_ sound—"disagrees with you."

Kirara stared at it. Tears gathered in her eyes, but did not fall. _Kami, thank you. Thank you!_

Akemi rubbed the new scar on her forehead, which overlaid the already-present burn scar. Underneath her breath, she muttered, "Oniichan's gonna be annoyed when he sees this…"

The mikumari looked up sharply. "'Oniichan'? Akemi-san, do you think he's going to come _here_?"

She looked at her feet. "…I miss him. I miss him and I want to see him again. Is that…I know. I know what he did; I saw it. I want to know why. What on earth made him do that? Does power go to your head that quickly? So I wanna know why, and I want…I want to talk to him again. I mean, there's not many people to talk to 'round here."

"That's not true. You can talk to me, and Komachi, and…" She thought for a moment. "You get along well with Shino-chan and Kayo-chan."

"Yeah…but…" She shivered and hugged herself. "Tessai is dead. He helped raise me, y'know? And my brother is heaven knows where. I feel kinda…alone. It sucks."

Kirara laid a hand on her shoulder. "You're not alone." _I haven't seen her so sad in months. If Ukyo did come…at least she might cheer up. I think I—we could survive him if it meant she was back to her old self. _She thought back to the few times she and Ukyo had actually interacted. _Incredibly annoying, but without his thugs around him…survivable._

Akemi gave her a small smile. "Heh…yeah. Thanks. I think I'll go practice my shooting now."

As the girl moved past her to get to her bag, Kirara sighed and sat down on the floor. _What should I do? I can't just take the crystal back from Komachi; she'll be crushed. She was so happy and proud when I passed it on to her… I should tell her about what happened; tell her it will still be hers. I will not take her position away just because I can still perform her duties._

She leaned back, resting her head against the wall. This was something that was going to require a lot of finesse and a considerable amount of thought, but she thought it could probably wait until dinner.

_Which I still have to finish preparing. Time to go back to work._

&

Author's Notes

--The old samurai in this chapter is the one Ukyo spoke to in episode…14, I think? The one where he gives all the samurai orders to defend the village from Nobuseri

--Nakuryuu is billed as a place to learn target shooting, a popular diversion for rich merchants who aren't allowed to use katana. However, it's actually a sniper school, so everyone is expected to have backup weapons. Jian are one-handed swords, thus Ukyo can use one and lift a handgun at the same time. Whether he can actually fire said gun with any amount of accuracy remains to be seen.

--The fall of the capital and the resulting catastrophic loss of life were dubbed "engine failure" by Ukyo's advisors while he was in a coma. On learning about this, Ukyo wasn't about to argue. After all, telling everyone that in fact the destruction of the capital was caused by six guys with swords would have just been _embarrassing_.

Next Chapter

Ukyo is injured. Kirara muses. Akemi shows off.


	3. Pain

There were clouds on the horizon, turning the northern sky into an ominous gray smear. However, even if Ukyo had been blind his headache--which refused to fade even after three pills and a snack--would have let him know of the impending rain. He was glad he had packed his raincoat, although he fervently hoped he didn't need it. The cold wind pierced straight through his jacket, and he shivered. _I should hurry up. This had better be the right way…_ He cast another glance at his GPS. _It is. _He tried to walk faster, something he only managed with difficulty due to the uneven terrain and the fact that he didn't have a free hand to balance with; the hand not clutching the GPS was occupied in trying to keep his bags on his shoulder. The sword and gun at his hips thumped against his body as he walked, and he wondered briefly if they would leave bruises.

He walked for three hours before stopping to rest and eat some of the food he had packed. The granola bar was dry and a little stale, but still perfectly edible. He dropped the foil wrapper on the ground and continued on. Out of sheer boredom, he went through his bag, discovered a shakuhachi he had left in one of the pockets, and tried to play a few songs as he walked. After realizing that it was out of tune and that he sounded a bit like a dying cat, he put it away. He was heading east; after several more hours, the setting sun behind him made it hard to see the GPS screen. _I should stop for the night and make camp. Where's that book?_

The area he was traversing was mostly dense forest, but as he walked he came to a small clearing. Dropping his bags with a sigh of relief, he dug out the book on wilderness survival. _Alright, let's see here. Campsite should be flat and dry…well, it's flat, although I don't know if it'll stay dry once that rain hits. To build a fire…ah, it's not that cold anymore, I don't need one. Good thing I bought that sleeping bag._ He unrolled the bag in question, shook out a few crumbs of indeterminate origin, and laid down on it. _Not bad_. His leg and back throbbed dully, so he took a few painkillers and unwrapped an umeboshi for dinner.

_That's better._ He buried himself in the sleeping bag; as a precaution, he threw his raincoat over it. He had been on the road all day; finally, he yawned, rolled over, and went to sleep.

&

He was woken up by a crack of thunder and a throbbing pain in his head that shot all the way down to the base of his spine. Fat wet raindrops pelted down on the raincoat he had covered himself with; they sounded almost like fireworks, and each splash sent a pulse of pain through his head. The ground underneath the bag was rapidly getting soaked; he was no longer warm. He whimpered and shut his eyes against a flash of lightning. _Cold! Benzaiten-sama, please have mercy on me. So much pain…_ He wasn't sure how long he lay there, curled up in his sleeping bag, before regaining the ability to think clearly through the pain. _Argh…should I move? No, I can't; I'd just get colder and wetter. I should just stay here, try to go back to sleep._

He shut his eyes and tried to ignore the pain and the cold. He must have drifted off; he was woken up sometime later by a distant roar. The rain had stopped, so he sat up. The night sky was pitch black, but he heard something flying overhead—something big. His eyes were useless, so he shut them and listened.

He heard the sound of engines, those used by Nobuseri. Suddenly, he was no longer tired. _No. No! Did I miss some? I must have missed some, or…maybe they're from another prefecture and looking to fill the vacuum. Where are they heading? Oh, I hope not towards Kanna-mura…no, after what that village did no Nobuseri with half a brain would go there. It wouldn't go well for them if they did, would it?_ He allowed himself a twisted smile. _I should know._

Ukyo was still tired, but no longer quite as cold. The ground underneath his sleeping bag felt squishy and comfortable, so he settled back down and listened until the roar of Nobuseri had faded into the distance.

&

Judging by his watch, it was nearly ten when he finally woke up the following morning; he was running late. The long and boring task of drying and cleaning the mud-, grass-, and leaf-encrusted bottom of his sleeping bag took up even more of his time, so that it was three in the afternoon by the time he was able to get going again. To make up for lost time, he walked as fast as he could; this soon made him limp badly, but he gritted his teeth and ignored the pain. _I need to get to Ishii-mura. From there to Kanna is only a day. Just one more day until I can see her again, until I can make things right._

The forest soon gave way to grassy plains, and he stopped dead.

He could see the village in the distance. The fence around it, which had been made from lashed-together tree trunks, bore gaping, smoldering holes. A Raiden hovered over the village, aiming its cannon at the buildings inside. Distantly, he heard screams and gunshots. The shrieks of women and children mingled with the shouts of men and the metallic, distorted voices of the smaller Nobuseri.

For a moment, he was filled with the nearly overwhelming urge to run far, far in the other direction and hide somewhere nobody would ever find him. _Machine samurai…so many of them. Attacking the village, burning the houses…a voice telling me to run. I need to run!_ He shuddered violently. As his hands began to shake, he balled them up into fists. _No. I am not four anymore, and I'm no coward. I am not going to leave these people to be slaughtered. _He dropped his bags and ripped the larger one open, pulling out Benzaiten and loading it with shaky hands. His arm hurt as he lifted it to his shoulder and squinted through the scope, aiming as best he could for the Raiden's head. The gun wobbled badly, and he shut his eyes and tried to focus. _Deep breaths. Deep, slow breaths._ Gradually, everything stilled. He barely breathed as he aimed again and began to channel ki through his arms and into the bullet. Light gathered at the muzzle of the gun and stayed there, pulsing slightly, until he squeezed the trigger and released it.

The recoil nearly knocked him on his back, and he had to fight a sudden wave of dizziness as his shot, now something that would have not looked out of place coming from a battleship cannon, hit home and exploded the Nobuseri's head into shrapnel. He allowed himself a smug smirk before slinging Benzaiten over his shoulder and drawing his sword with one hand and his gun with the other. He left his bags on the ground and began to run towards the village, wheezing only a little.

Many of the Nobuseri that had been attacking the village began to come towards him, only to stop in confusion as they saw him clearly. One shouted, "You! You turned my comrades into mindless drones! You let them die!" It lunged at him, and he fired, hitting it in the chest. As it dropped, a Yakan charged him and he stabbed it, a single brutal thrust through the body. He barely paused as he yanked his sword out and continued.

Three attacked him at once, resulting in a barrage of bullets and frantic slashing until they all went down. He heard one approach from behind, but as he turned to attack it, he stumbled badly. The plains only looked even from a distance. _Ow. I can't keep running like this. I…_ A Mimizuku slashed deeply into his arm, and he cried out in pain as he shot it. The Tobito that had been sneaking up on him tried to bring its sword down on his head, a blow he just barely parried. He yelped and jumped backward, using the scanty distance gained to shoot it in the head.

His fighting took him closer to the village gates, where a fair number of dead Nobuseri were riddled with arrows. A young man with a bow took aim as he approached and impaled a hapless Mimizuku. Ukyo spared him a grin before a Tobito zooming from the left caught his full attention. This time, the bullet caught the thing in its main body, which promptly exploded. He gasped as something slammed into his side, sending stabbing pain through his chest. More Nobuseri left off harassing the villagers as they saw him.

_Oh, dear heavens…_ He couldn't afford to miss as they rushed at him. Thankfully, the villagers who were still in fighting shape proceeded to trim the numbers a bit. He saw one old man bash a Mimizuku in the head with a shovel, saving him the bullet.

The next few minutes dissolved into a frenzied blur of aiming, firing, and blocking. When his bullets ran out, he used his gun to block as he slashed and stabbed wildly with his sword. Soon, he found himself fighting back-to-back with a sickle-wielding peasant, who barely seemed to notice him. A Mimizuku thrust its sword at him, a blow he blocked with one hand as he dispatched it. His breath came in ragged pants now; his wounded arm dripped blood, but he couldn't rest. The adrenaline rush was wearing off, and he became more and more aware of the pain in his side.

_Hurts…what is this? I can barely breathe_. During a lull in the fighting, he tried to suck in a deep breath, only to nearly pass out from the searing agony the act brought him. "Ack!"

"Are you…? Oh, my goodness!"

He turned around, blinking at the sickle-wielding youth who had finally noticed him. As he opened his mouth to ask what the matter was, the last Yakan came into view and leveled its gun at them. As Ukyo shifted his weight to attack it, it fired. He could only stare in horror as the boy was mowed down. Before he could move, the Yakan was pierced with a dozen arrows, all fired in quick succession from the archer behind him. Blood seeped out of the holes, and he knew the operator must be dead.

Gradually, the sounds of fighting faded, and he realized the battle must be over. All he could see was the dead boy in front of him. _He was my shield. The bullets hit him, but not me. He saved my life. He's so young…must be around my sister's age. And he's dead because of these machine samurai._

The survivors began to gather in the village square. A woman with a bandaged shoulder saw the boy's body and rushed forward with a scream. "Yoichi! My son!" She began to cradle his head on her hands, sobbing violently.

The boy stirred feebly. "Ma…that you? You…you're hurt." He gave a rattling sigh, and his head lolled back on his shoulders as he died.

She began to wail, and Ukyo cast a glance at the rest of the villagers. Many of them were wounded, some quite severely to Ukyo's eyes. A few were crying over other bodies, their fathers or siblings. He saw one young man kneeling by a woman's body and sobbing. _I was going to do that. I was going to put the people of Kanna through this pain…I'm a monster. I don't even deserve…no, I can't start thinking like this now. If I hadn't been here, right now, these people would be in even worse pain. Hey, Kirara-kun…think you might want to look at me if you heard about this? _He smiled faintly.

A woman in an ornate red and white outfit gave a small cry of shock as she saw him. "The Amanushi!"

He turned towards her. "Oh, please don't bow. I gave that up, you know."

She caught sight of his side and gasped, clapping a hand to her mouth. "You're hurt!"

As he looked down at the jagged pieces of metal sticking out of his ribs, his legs slowly crumpled under him, and he fell to his knees. _So that's what that was… _Dimly, as darkness encroached upon the edges of his vision, he realized how much blood he had lost and how much everything hurt. "Help…" He managed to gasp before the darkness rose up and swallowed him entirely.

&

"What should we do with him?"

"He killed the Nobuseri for us. Just for that, we should help him."

"He used my nephew as a shield! Did you see him? He didn't even try to help! And then he stood there and smirked! We should kill him!"

"He used to be the Amanushi. If we kill him, it might go badly for us later."

"Did you hear what he tried to do to Kanna-mura? I heard he tried to destroy it…"

"Impossible! I heard he was going to visit it when his engines died!"

"Well, I heard from a girl who lives there that he _did_ try to destroy it, and that the Kanna samurai gave up their lives to kill him and stop the Capital before it plowed into the village."

"You're drunk, Shuuji." Hisui, the mikumari of Ishii-mura, shoved her way past the villagers to get to Ukyo. His arm had stopped bleeding and would heal up on its own. They had removed the shrapnel from his side and bound the wound, but had not bothered to check for further damage. Blood had already seeped through the bandage, and she briskly motioned for one of the men to help her unwrap it. "We are not going to let him die. Not only did he kill the Raiden, he also fought very bravely against the other Nobuseri. I am sorry about Yoichi, Rin-san, but it was not the Amanushi's fault. Someone fetch me a bucket of water."

The wound was unwrapped and water was brought, and Hisui settled back on her haunches to get a closer look. There were three irregular puncture wounds in his side; she could see where a piece of metal had been stopped by a rib bone. She sighed. _This is going to take a lot out of me._ Slowly and carefully, she ladled the water over his wounds and held her crystal above it. It pulsed with light and she shut her eyes against the glow as dizziness swept over her. "Water, please. Heed my call; seal up this man's wounds."

Her chest began to hurt, and she had to fight off an urge to cough as she felt the crystal begin its work. The larger the wounds, the more backlash she suffered when trying to heal it. She knew it was possible to close up the injuries entirely, but doing so might kill her, and would certainly leave her bedridden for a long time. It was better to stop the bleeding and induce the wounds to scab over, letting Ukyo's own body heal the rest over time. When it was done, she got to her feet slowly. "He'll recover."

"Mikumari-sama, where should we put him?"

She paused, thinking. _There must be someone who can spare the room while he heals… Oh, I know._ "Put him in the spare room in my house."

A middle-aged man with a bandaged leg limped into the room, holding two heavy-looking bags and a rifle. "Shinji-kun and I found these just outside the village. Do you think they're his?"

"Probably. Put them in my spare room." _There's no way he could have made it from Kougakyo to here without supplies._ "And if he wakes up and finds _anything_ missing…" Her eyes narrowed, leaving the rest of the sentence unspoken.

&

Ukyo left Ishii-mura two days later. His side still hurt, but Hisui had done a very good job. He had slept straight through the funerals, but his recovery had been disrupted by the incessant din of repair work being done on the damaged houses; he was glad to be going. He had the sense that many of the villagers were not sad to see him go, especially given the arrival of a fast turtle eager to spread news. _Thankfully, Hisui-san kept my involvement from making it into the actual papers, but I wouldn't be surprised if it spreads even faster by word-of-mouth. I wonder what they'll make of all this? Of course they don't know of the Nobuseri lobotomies, but this sudden attack on Ishii-mura after so much calm must make a few ripples. Why, I wonder? Why attack now?_

His bags felt heavier than they had before, and he groaned as he hefted them more securely onto his shoulder. This time, he carried Benzaiten on its sling instead of safely tucking it away; he might need it while climbing the mountains that lay between him and Kanna-mura. _Only one more day. One more day until I reach her. Oh, I can't believe I'm so far behind. I can't believe I was injured that badly. But…I don't regret it_. He allowed himself to grin. _They called me brave, some of them! Me, brave! Me, a hero! And those stupid samurai called me cowards. I'll show them. No, better yet. I'll show Kirara-kun I'm not the same person I once was. Not the same spoiled, selfish brat I used to be._

&

Akemi was training in the bamboo grove for the first time in months. She had not lifted her guns in all that time, and they felt heavy and awkward as she attached the bayonets and made a few practice swings. As she continued, slashing at imaginary enemies, she felt her body begin to warm up. _Yeah, I haven't gotten as rusty as I thought._ A grin spread across her face as she shot at a dead stalk, pretending it was a Yakan. Her bullet split it neatly in half, and she lunged at the pieces, slicing them up even smaller before they hit the ground. From there, she spun, knocked a branch into the air, and blasted it to shreds before it too could land. _Hah!_ Moving a little quicker and flashier than was probably a good idea after so much time away from training, she dashed around the clearing, shooting and slicing bamboo. For good measure, she threw in a series of pirouettes at the end.

Almost immediately, the adrenaline rush began to wear off, and she winced. _Ow…okay, I think I sprained something or pulled something or…something._ Her legs hurt, so she sat down hard. _Slightly better. I really shouldn't have done that. Oniichan…when you get here, you'd better help me get back in shape. Can't believe you're in Ishii-mura and not here. What, are you walking here or something? Nah, you're too lazy. Must be taking the long way._

She was putting her guns away when footsteps behind her made her pause. "Who's there?"

"Ah…Akemi-sama…"

_Akkun? Why'd he come here?_ "What's the matter, kid?" She turned to face him; he looked distinctly nervous and fidgety. _Well, he's not holding a rock…_

The boy looked at his feet. "Wanna say 'm sorry for throwin' that rock at you. Shouldn't have."

_You should be sorry. Little brat…then again, I can certainly understand the impulse. Wonder if he'd still be apologizing if he knew how close my brother is._ She grinned at him. "It's okay! Go play, kid."

As he ran off, she sighed and turned her face to the sky. _Oniichan, you'd better be on your way._

&

Kirara's knees hurt from kneeling in the dirt, but she didn't move. She wasn't finished praying yet. _Great samurai, please continue to watch over us. Heihachi-sama, you once said that there were gods in the rice. Please be those gods of rice for us. Let the rice grow in abundance. And keep our village safe._ She thought back to the fast turtle's arrival that morning, bringing news of a recent attack on Ishii-mura by Nobuseri. The villagers had beaten them back, but not without casualties. Or without help. She shuddered. _Sachie-san told us that the Amanushi had been seen in the village yesterday. He wouldn't dare come here, would he? He must know he wouldn't be welcome._

She got up, brushed herself off, and began walking back home. _I wonder what he looks like now. Does he still wear that thick makeup? Or those outlandish clothes? Maybe he's been scarred by the battle; I wouldn't be surprised if he's hideously deformed with the beating Kikuchiyo-sama gave him. It would serve him right if he was no longer han—no, I didn't just think that! He was most certainly not even remotely attractive. But Akemi-san has that picture of him when he was younger, without makeup…he wasn't that bad-looking. I can say that, at least._ She blushed.

A small, traitorous thought began to form; before it had gotten to much more than the vague correlation between Ukyo's perceived attractiveness and the fact that she had only ever seen him twice—and really, shouldn't she take a better look at him before judging that?—she squashed it flat and began to concentrate on the chores waiting for her at home. There would be time enough to think about Ukyo after she'd started dinner.

Komachi was home when she got there. She was holding the water crystal and staring at it intently, making it flash. Kirara stood in the doorway and watched as it pulsed with light twice before emitting a steady, cool glow. "Good job, Komachi."

The girl looked up and grinned. "Nee-san, I got it all bright. Did you see?"

"Yes, I saw. You're learning so quickly." Should I tell her? No, not yet. "I think you might be ready to learn how to heal small things now."

"Really?!" Komachi jumped up and hugged her tightly. "Yay! When can we start?"

"Right now." She slipped off her sandals and settled herself into a comfortable position on the floor, motioning for Komachi to sit next to her. "This is the way Mama taught me before you were born." There was a bucket of water by the door, used for cooking. She splashed a little over her hands before making a scratch on the back of one with the rough edge of a broken fingernail. A drop of blood welled to the surface, and she winced as she continued, "Now, focus yourself. Can you see the scratch healing in your mind?"

The younger girl lowered the crystal until it just barely touched the back of Kirara's hand. _Nee-san is bleeding… I have to make it better._ She felt her skin tingle and burn, and a wave of nausea hit her. She swallowed hard and focused all her energy on the crystal, making it glow faintly. _Now, into the wound_. "Water…heal. C'mon, heal!"

Before her eyes, the scratch closed. She shut her eyes and yawned, too exhausted to be happy. "Nee-san…did I do good?"

Kirara caught her before she fell backwards. "Yes, you did very well." _It took so much out of her…but it's a good thing she managed it. If that time was a fluke, I'm afraid to think of what would happen to the village if someone was injured. We have to practice more often. _"You should take a nap now. I'll make dinner."

The simple, everyday act of cooking did little to take her mind off Ukyo. _He's so close. If he comes here…well, it would make Akemi-san happy, but what about the rest of us? The villagers might drive him out. If they did…would I stop them, for Akemi-san's sake?_

She pondered that question for the rest of the night.

&

Author's Notes

--Benzaiten is the goddess of beauty, music, words, and water. She also bestows wealth, making her a pretty appropriate deity for Ukyo to pray to. And yes, his rifle is named after her, although with different kanji.

--I plead guilty to theme naming with the mikumari here; Hisui means "jade," to contrast with Kirara ("mica").

Next Chapter

Ukyo talks his way out of trouble. Kirara is less than pleased.


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